The present invention relates to a pen-type computer input device for moving a cursor on the display of a computer system or entering data such as of figures, letters, numerals, or the like into a computer system.
Various computer input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a digitizer, a light pen, a tablet, etc. are used in the art of computers. The mouse is a device for relatively moving a cursor displayed on a CRT. The mouse can move the cursor at high speed and can also freely draw a figure or the like on the CRT display through relatively simple manual operation. Mouses now in use are largely classified into two groups. In one group, the mouse comprises a rotatably supported ball whose angular displacement is used to detect the distance which is traversed by the mouse. In the other category, the mouse is moved over a board which is marked with a checkerboard pattern, and the distance by which the mouse is moved is detected by a photosensor.
Mouses may be used in different ways depending on the software of computer systems with which the mouses are associated. Basically, when a desired figure or line is to be drawn using a mouse, the mouse is moved to move a cursor on a computer display along a path corresponding to such a figure or line. Since it is difficult to move a mouse over small distances because of its size and structure, and it is impossible to monitor any movement of the mouse directly, it is highly difficult to enter small figures, letters, and numerals through the mouse. The other conventional computer input devices are also incapable of entering small figures and free curves desirably.